Women-only floors in hotels are returning to hotels after a roughly 25-year drought, reports the New York Times.
You what? Whole floors of hotels, just for women? Why?
The originals were intended to provide a safe haven for women traveling alone on business but ended up being considered “a kind of sexist thing,” as one hotel analyst put it.
Instead, the new Crowne Plaza Milwaukee-Wauwatosa says it has set up a “female-friendly” enclave. Anyone booking a room on the Women’s Executive Level — the seventh floor — has access to a variety of amenities like a Victoria’s Secret robe, a blow dryer and vanity mirrors. But, and here is the difference, male guests can book a room on the floor, too.
The strategy is sort of the same on the King Executive Level one floor above, what most hotels refer to as the concierge or club floor. Guests receive perks including free cocktails and concierge services, like making reservations at restaurants. But while those services have traditionally been aimed at men, women can book a room on that floor and relax in the lounge.
The Crowne Plaza Milwaukee is not alone in playing to niche preferences. The Millennium chain’s Premier Hotel in Times Square has a “Woman Travelers Floor” that includes yoga mats, wash mitts, bath salts and a spa-style room-service menu.
In Albany, the downtown Hampton Inn just introduced a floor for female guests that offers cookies, flavored coffees, skin moisturizers and extra-soft socks, plus a half-hour session in the hotel’s massage chair. The Albany program does permit men on the women’s floor on weekends.
So hotels are trying to cater for the growing numbers of women travellers by giving them extra-big mirrors, bubble bath, a girly dressing gown and some chocolate ? Ok, so the chocolate I like, but I'm prettty sure men like chocolate too. And being able to see themselves as they shave, and washing wirh decent-quality products, and wearing comfy bath robes. Right? Unless the hotels are saying that looking at oneself, getting clean in comfort and eating chocolate are solely the preserve of women...?
What do you think? A gender-stereotyping and unecessary attempt to girlify hotel rooms, or a genuinely good idea?
You what? Whole floors of hotels, just for women? Why?
The originals were intended to provide a safe haven for women traveling alone on business but ended up being considered “a kind of sexist thing,” as one hotel analyst put it.
Instead, the new Crowne Plaza Milwaukee-Wauwatosa says it has set up a “female-friendly” enclave. Anyone booking a room on the Women’s Executive Level — the seventh floor — has access to a variety of amenities like a Victoria’s Secret robe, a blow dryer and vanity mirrors. But, and here is the difference, male guests can book a room on the floor, too.
The strategy is sort of the same on the King Executive Level one floor above, what most hotels refer to as the concierge or club floor. Guests receive perks including free cocktails and concierge services, like making reservations at restaurants. But while those services have traditionally been aimed at men, women can book a room on that floor and relax in the lounge.
The Crowne Plaza Milwaukee is not alone in playing to niche preferences. The Millennium chain’s Premier Hotel in Times Square has a “Woman Travelers Floor” that includes yoga mats, wash mitts, bath salts and a spa-style room-service menu.
In Albany, the downtown Hampton Inn just introduced a floor for female guests that offers cookies, flavored coffees, skin moisturizers and extra-soft socks, plus a half-hour session in the hotel’s massage chair. The Albany program does permit men on the women’s floor on weekends.
So hotels are trying to cater for the growing numbers of women travellers by giving them extra-big mirrors, bubble bath, a girly dressing gown and some chocolate ? Ok, so the chocolate I like, but I'm prettty sure men like chocolate too. And being able to see themselves as they shave, and washing wirh decent-quality products, and wearing comfy bath robes. Right? Unless the hotels are saying that looking at oneself, getting clean in comfort and eating chocolate are solely the preserve of women...?
What do you think? A gender-stereotyping and unecessary attempt to girlify hotel rooms, or a genuinely good idea?
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- LindseyIndigo
- added this
- added August 05, 2008
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I'm not sure but I'm feeling this is a bad idea. Any type of segregation is already a bad thing and this undoubtedly has some unseen unintended consequence.
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They have male only hotels in Japan that don't allow females at any time at least this place is flexible during the week.
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- VegaNerDiva
- 5 months ago
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